Salvation
by Harley Grace
Summary: Jack finally gets what he never expected; someone to call his own. After Jack saves a bullied Grace Bennett, he cannot help feeling empty inside. Knowing that there's more than simple attraction going on, and desperate for an explanation, he sets out to find out the reason behind his feelings. Nothing is as it seems, especially when the Grimm Reaper is involved. JackxOC ON HOLD
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

Strange things happen when you're a teenager. You're just growing up, seeing the world in a different, perhaps even less innocent, light. (Or darkness, whichever you prefer.)

But stranger things happen when you're in love with a Winter Spirit. And not just any Winter Spirit, but Jack Frost, out of all things supernatural.

And the scary thing is? I'm extremely happy.

And I'm excruciatingly sad.

If only he weren't _frozen_ in time. But what else can you expect from a Winter Spirit? It's not like he's about to flow along with it, like the gurgling warm water of a summer river.

It's not like he's about to regain the heat in his cheeks, heat he hasn't felt in 300 years, or so I've been told.

But then again, I can't help hoping, simply _hoping_ with all my soul that there's a solution to this.

And I curse the Easter Bunny for making me feel so conflicted in the first place.

But most of all, I curse Jack Frost, for coming into my life.

He is my salvation.

He is my downfall.

* * *

_So, I've finally got around to doing this, and after reading a few Jack/OC fics, I decided it was really time for me to write my own, as I can finally do everything my way. Hopefully you will approve :) Here's a glimpse of what our OC character will be facing; a fierce internal emotional battle! Now, I have in mind for there to be a plot outside of the Jack/OC thing, which will be relevant and important of course. Just bear with me, and I'll be updating. We're introduced to one of the villains in the next chapter :) **Thanks for reading, review, and hug the first person you see after you're done. **_

_PS: any name suggestions? I have some options, tell me which ones you prefer:  
Raven  
Primrose  
Grace  
Helen  
Scarlett  
_

_Also, if there's something you'd like to happen between Jack and the OC person in future chapters, always share :) (nothing graphic por favor. This will remain strictly T! So anything but sex. Let it be known; I'm a prude) ;) xxx_


	2. To Stop Death

**CHAPTER 1 - TO STOP DEATH...**

"Let me guess. You're the Grimm reaper."

"What gave it away? The scythe? Or perhaps my lifeless nature?" Came the hauntingly soft reply.

"A little bit of both. But mostly the latter. The scythe was just a confirmation." Tooth crossed her arms, her mismatched eyes glaring at the darkly cloaked man before her.

"Congratulations." The word was drawn out and slow. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some… _business_ to attend to." The dark shadow turned to leave, uninterested.

"What are you doing?" Tooth demanded. Angry tears began to form in her eyes.

"My job."

"Don't act oblivious! We both know you're doing more than that. What are you planning exactly? Want to destroy the world? Because that's become rather unoriginal."

"Though that does sound incredibly tempting, and I _crave_ all the _death_ at the mere thought alone- no, that is not what I want. After all, for there to be death there needs to be life. Death thrives from the ending of life, and there cannot be death if there is no burning, living blame to blow out. "

"Then what are you doing? Why are you taking lives of those whose time has not come yet?" Tooth managed to whisper in horror as she realized this horrible man in front of her simply did not care.

"Wait and see." The shadow of the figure began to slyly move away.

"I'm a Guardian. I _do not_ wait by and watch things play out!"

"Then there is no point to this discussion." The Grim Reaper vanished with a sly and chilling smile.

* * *

Tooth fumed as she flew back to her palace as tears streamed down her cheeks. How dare he? _How dare he_ simply vanish like that? _How dare he_ have absolutely no regard to human life? She was going to have to talk to the others.

This was definitely a matter of urgency.

* * *

_This is indeed very short. But I think I'll just try that style for this story. Short chapters, frequent updates. Anyways, not much happening so far so it's perfectly understandable if you interest level is pretty much at its lowest, but hopefully you'll keep on checking back :) Every little bit of feedback and advice helps._

_What I basically want to explore is how far the Guardians can go to stop something. I mean, they can't stop death. And death isn't making a move to take over the world like Pitch. He doesn't need believers, as the people who see him die pretty much seconds after. (So, what could he be planning? Hmmmm)_


	3. No Different From Everyone Else

_Thanks** RoseGuardian23** for reviewing (and doing A LOT more! Seriously, wow) And for that, this character is now officially called Grace ;) On with the story then! Not much happens, we are just given an idea what Grace's life is like. More gets explained later, I promise. _

* * *

**CHAPTER 2 - NO DIFFERENT FROM EVERYONE ELSE...RIGHT?**

"Tooth, calm down!" Bunny sighed in exasperation, almost dropping the colorful egg he'd so intently been working on when she suddenly whizzed up mere inches away from his startled face.

"Calm down? _Calm down?_ Bunny, he was so…so-"

"Grim?" North raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Exactly!"

"Well what do you expect? He is the collector of souls, a.k.a the _Grimm_ Reaper."

"Yes, but he is also the collector of _ready_ souls, Bunny! He was collecting souls whose time hadn't even come yet! A six year old, Bunny! He was six. years. old!"

"If he'd passed, then was meant to be." North sighed, though his expression was solemn. No one should have to leave the world at such a young age. No one.

"North! There was absolutely nothing wrong with the boy! He was as healthy as he could get!" Tooth was hysterical now, and tears were freely streaming down her flushed cheeks.

"Hold up one second." Bunnymund held up his paws, after carefully laying his brush down on the mantelpiece of the fireplace. They were all gathered in North's workshop. With the exception of Jack, that is, who annoyingly enough hadn't responded to the northern lights so far... "Are you telling us, that Grim took a child's life with absolutely no reason?! Crikey Tooth, why didn't you say so in the first place!"

Tooth shot him her best, and most feared death glare.

"Bunny. Is ok. Tooth," North gingerly guided her to a chair close to the comforting flames of the fire, "Tell us everything. From the beginning."

* * *

People say you can't see the stars at night in the city. Well, they're wrong. You could see them just fine; if you were in a dark secluded alley that is, lying on the cold ground. Grace just wished she'd found that out in pleasanter circumstances.

Heaving a heavy, shaky sigh, she pulled herself up, using the hard brick wall for support.

Her parents were going to kill her. She just knew it.

They were kind, loving parents, yes. She loved them, had no problems with them. They were the bright spot in her otherwise dark, miserable life. Maybe that was why she was so very much afraid of them; afraid that one day, that light would suddenly go out.

What she was afraid of most now though, was facing them. Seeing the disappointment on their faces, as she constantly failed them over and over again.

She didn't mean this to happen, didn't mean for this to go so far. All she wanted was a little help.

And instead matters just got worse.

_That's what you get for trusting someone Grace,_ she thought bitterly as she stumbled through the dark streets. Snow was softly falling to the ground, and it was oddly comforting. _You should have never opened up, never given them a chance. You try to turn things around, make friends, and they'll just beat you to oblivion and leave you to wallow in your self-loathing.  
_

_Well, it's working, they got what they wanted._

_Lesson learned. _

She clutched her side as a shuddering gasp ripped through her. The pain was unbearable, but not unfamiliar. And she hated the fact that she recognized the feeling all too well.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of stumbling, falling, and crawling, she passed out mere steps beside her front door.

A slight chill nipping at her nose and cheeks brought her back to the real world, and she found herself looking up at the stain glass windows, instead of at the bottom of the paint-chipped stairs of her front porch.

And without further thought, without further questioning to how she made it up the stairs for fear that she would hesitate, she stood on shaky legs and slammed her palm against the familiar, comforting door, once, twice. Trying her absolute best to just keep standing.

The door opened with a creak and there stood her mother, her face fuming with fury. Until she noticed the state her youngest daughter was in.

"Grace! Honey, what happened?!" She gasped as she clutched her child closer to herself. "John! John!" Grace heard her mom call her father. She also heard the pounding of footsteps, as he two older sisters bounded down the stairs.

She was safe now, and didn't let herself get fazed by the loud voices of her family. She could finally give in to the beckoning darkness.

So she did.

* * *

"Mommy. What's wrong with Grace?" A soft muffled voice of a young little boy was heard through the frosted over window. "Why is she asleep?"

"Go to sleep Jordon, it's ok. Gracie is safe. She's just a little tired." A soothing female voice replied, though it was a little bit strained.

_Tired indeed_, Jack thought bitterly. He wanted to stay, wanted to watch over the poor teenage girl. But he could not linger. The northern lights were dancing through the star filled sky. He had a duty to fulfill.

But for a strange reason, he did not want to leave. And yet, he'd saved people in situations like this before. It was inevitable to not stumble across something like this when one roamed the streets for more than a century. More than even two.

So surely, it would be no different to leave her like he had all the others he'd helped in the past, right?

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Review! I'd very much like to have feedback. I apologize if this is a little dark, but I guarantee, there's a bright, really unexpected side to Grace we'll all see._ _She's just one of those people who brings herself down when it is absolutely not necessary. It's a side of humanity I'd just like to explore in this story, as I do not fully understand it myself. Oh well. :) xxx I also don't want to go into too much detail about her siblings, if that is ok, as there are more important things to focus on. Anyways, thank so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it ;)_


	4. Broken

**CHAPTER 3- BROKEN**

"_Maybe I want what you have..."_

Jack shot up in his bed at the Pole, his breathing ragged. He'd heard those words before. But this time, it was different.

Funny how the same words could have so many different meanings, different effects, all simply depending on the person uttering them. Except this time Jack had no idea who'd invaded his dream, warping it into a nightmare.

Pitch Black was the obvious solution.

But he'd been gone for a year, and there had been no sign of him. Of course, there were the unpreventable dark dreams young children received on frightful nights. And whenever Jack shared this information with the Guardians, they'd assure him that it was part of life.

They couldn't prevent everything; even Pitch fulfilling his purpose as the Nightmare King. There were boundaries they had to follow.

Only when they were crossed could they get involved, as they had with Pitch last spring.

When Jack heard this he was furious. He despised, absolutely _hated_ the idea of not being able to do anything.

But Manny created Pitch for a reason. It was the only thing keeping Jack in place, even if he did not fully understand Manny's motifs. But there must have been a good reason behind his nightmarish creation. And Jack could not argue with that.

Still catching his breath, Jack looked around the room with big, icy blue eyes. Moon beams shone across the floor in broken patterns, as if reassuring him that all was well.

Except that Jack felt anything but well.

He felt empty. And he couldn't explain _why_.

* * *

"Your daughter took quite a beating." The doctor proclaimed as he tucked a warm blanket around Grace's frail body. "The police will want to conduct an investigation."

"That is why we asked you to come here Timothy." Mr. Bennett explained wearily, "We don't want any hassle with the media. We'll handle this."

"John. Are you sure?" The doctor asked, his eyes silently pleading. He wasn't only a doctor at that moment. He was John's friend (ever since childhood).

"I'm sure Timothy. Trust me."

"She's your daughter, John!"

"I am well aware." Mr. Bennett said sternly.

Knowing that tone all too well, Timothy sighed and got up from the floor beside Grace's bed. Some of her ribs had been cracked, but luckily not broken. Her right wrist on the other hand was fractured, and needed to be put in a brace.

Writing was going to be out of the question for some time. And pretty much everything else.

As for the rest of her condition, she was bruised and battered, but otherwise safe from any danger. And then there was the situation with her scars, something she'd had since before that night…

The sharp lines ran along her wrists in gagged patterns, and were painfully noticeable against her pale skin. John hastily stuffed her arms under her blankets, not able to bear seeing those cursed scars again. He felt sick to the core.

Timothy cleared his throat, and his eyes were full of sorrow. "She's going to have a splitting headache when she wakes up, that's for sure." He sighed, trying to ease the tension that hung so thickly in the room, like a suffocating fog.

Before leaving with his medical kid, he paused at the door. "Just think about what's right for your daughter John," He muttered tiredly "As well as the rest of your family. Nothing else should ever come before them. Remember that."

And with that, he departed, leaving a broken Father to watch over his equally, perhaps even more so, broken daughter.

* * *

_Thanks for reading :) There'll be more on the Grimm Reaper next chapter, no worries ;) - Harley Grace xxx_


	5. Guidance

**CHAPTER 4- GUIDANCE**

"Jack, you look awful." Bunny stated. There was no 'hello Jack' and 'how have you been Jack', simply 'Jack you look awful'. No surprises there.

"Probably not much different looking from you." Jack replied with his signature smirk, but the usual lightness in his voice was absent. Instead there was sheer exhaustion.

North gave him a worried look, ignoring Bunny's huff of disbelief. "Jack, what upsets you? You didn't come to our gathering, and when you show up- this!" He tried to make his point by gesturing to all of him.

"You haven't been sleeping properly, Sandy says." Tooth whizzed up to Jack, taking one of his icy hands into hers. "We're just worried. You're usually a lot more-"

"A lot more what?" Jack snapped.

He saw a spark of hurt light in Tooth's violet eyes, and regretted his behavior instantly. It wasn't her fault he'd been having a rough time- the question _why _he felt like that still remained to be answered.

"Well, you're usually a lot more… free. Careless, but the good kind."

"Is there even a _good_ kind of carelessness?" Jack mumbled, his eyes downcast.

"You've proven there is." North boomed with a laugh, and patted his back, almost knocking the tiny framed Jack down into the wooden floorboards. "But now, let us know. What troubles you?"

Jack was hesitant, very understandable due to the fact that he had been in solitude for 300 years. A matter of which the Guardians were still puzzled about; how could he have forgiven them for that? How could anyone forgive the ones that left you alone for three centuries, to drown in misery and loneliness? It was a wonder that he was still sane.

But then again, he'd never been alone. The moon had always been with him.

Meanwhile Sandy was in a moment of distress, as he tried to communicate with the others. A haunting skull made from pure golden sand hovered above his head, while his face was apologetic and sad.

"Ugh, North? I hate to barge in on this conversation mate, but there's still that _other_ issue…"Bunny said hesitantly as he acknowledged what Sandy was trying to communicate.

"What other issue? What's going on?" Jack asked.

"It's Grimm. You know, the soul gatherer." Tooth said bitterly.

"The Grimm Reaper? He's real?!"

"You've never come across him?" Bunny asked in disbelief.

"No! I mean, why would I? I thought he was just something that branched off from Pitch's nightmares, a legend or a myth." Jack was pacing now, in deep distress. "Well, if the Grimm Reaper is doing something, then we'll have to stop him, right? What are we waiting for?!" He bounded towards the door, until a tug by his collar pulled him back to stand right in front of Father Christmas.

"Jack. Is not that simple." He stated with his hands clasped together in front of him. Little pesky elves scrambled around his ankles as they snuck some cookies out of the workshop.

"What do you mean it's not that simple? I think it's fairly straightforward; there's someone who kills, so we need stop him. Because, you know, that thing we learn since day one; killing is wrong." He stated with sarcasm, getting rather frustrated and annoyed at his friends.

"Jack, just please listen. It's not like that." Tooth said softly. "It's Grimm's job to take lives, and guide souls into the next life. It's his purpose Jack, his center. Believe it or not, the Grimm Reaper's center is _guidance_. I understand how this is for you. I saw him for the first time in my entire existence just yesterday, though I'd heard of him from the others."

"Either way, Grimm's been getting out of line." Bunny spoke up. "So we need to _talk_ to him, Frostbite. Nothing else. Just talk."

"How's he been getting 'out of line'?"

"He took someone's life without reason." Tooth whispered with tear filled eyes. "A little 6 year old boy."

"Then why on earth are you guys defending him?" Jack demanded as he threw his fists up in the air, his staff tightly clenched in his fist.

"Because we cannot be sure. Death is not our area of expertise. We'll just talk, see what he wants, clarify things-"

"What if nothing has to be clarified? What if he's just as messed up and twisted as Pitch is?"

"Can we just at least agree that attacking him before talking to him would be of no use? I mean, he is death himself." Bunny pointed out, lightly running his paws over his favored weapon; a boomerang. "If he proved to be hostile or a threat, by all means Frostbite, be my guest to freeze him over."

"Fine." Jack sighed as his shoulders slumped. "We'll have a nice friendly chat with the bringer of death first. How… inviting."

* * *

Meanwhile, a few miles west of Burgess, Grace was stirring restlessly in her sleep. A dream was playing out over and over again through her mind, dulling the throbbing pain she felt throughout her whole body. There was one thing that remained branded in her memory; piercing blue eyes of a saddened Winter Spirit, carrying her up her front porch.

* * *

_Not much really happens, just a lot of talking really :/ Sorry if that's not really your thing, but I promise, I have so many ideas for this! I'm so excited to share them with you :) Keep posted, and thank you! - Harley Grace xx (I just realized the character's name is the same as my second pen name... no jokes. I'm that slow on picking up the obvious. It's one of those things I suffer from :P )_

PS: Also what I forgot to mention was that Grace's surname is Bennett, as you find out in the previous chapter. Coincidence? I think not.


	6. Lost Soul

**CHAPTER 5- LOST SOUL  
**

Life. The burden that is placed on one's shoulders the moment they take their first breath. The mystery of the universe.

Grace had enough of mysteries; enough of wondering about why she was even around. She didn't know her purpose, and had given up trying to figure it out long ago.

So as she stared up at the cracked ceiling of her bedroom with a terrible headache, she simply could not bring herself to care about the incident in the alley.

But this was wrong, she realized, this was a mistake. She wasn't allowed to think that way. Otherwise she'd just find herself at square one all over again, and her months of hard work to be the one saying 'that cup looks half full' instead of 'half empty' would have been for nothing.

It had not been easy; if anything, it had been a painful struggle. A struggle, which she really wasn't willing to go through ever again.

So she tried to lift her spirit by doing the one thing she loved most: making music.

Her grand piano, a Steinway, was unfortunately downstairs in the living room, so she had to make do with simply singing and humming to herself.

The soft melody of no song in particular floated around her neglected room. Her belonging were strewn all over the place, littering the floor as well as her disastrous looking bookshelf. Boxes of watercolor paint piled up where there should have been books, and music scores were scattered around under her bed.

A poor old grey T-shirt hung from her chandelier, which must have gotten caught up there after one of her frantic searches through her closet.

That was how she liked it. What was the point of cleaning up her room, if it would just go back to looking exactly the same as it had after a few weeks?

The door creaked open, and Grace turned to find her little brother (wearing a onesie with little airplanes on it) poke his head through the small opening.

"Grace," he whispered. "Are you awake?"

"Yes Jordon." She whispered back with a weary smile. He opened the door just a little further to slip in, and very carefully closed it. He had to stretch up to reach the handle.

"Mommy said I shouldn't be here." He whispered as he crawled into her bed, and nestled into her arms. "She said you needed to rest, and that you were very, very tired." He looked up at her with big brown eyes. "But you've been sleeping for a very long time, and I don't want to be alone. Daddy is being scary."

"Scary how?" Grace fitted the blankets around her younger brother, and suddenly winced when she moved her wrist. She turned to find that it was in a brace.

"He's been angry, and hasn't been there at meals. Instead he's been in his study all day. Mommy doesn't talk much, unless she tells me to do my homework or go to sleep."

Grace felt her stomach drop. "Jordon, how long have I been asleep?"

"Two days."

_Damn. This is very, very bad,_ Grace thought. _I missed school. Which means that _they _will definitely know…_

"Gracie? Are you okay?" Her brother's soft palm touched her cheek.

"I'm fine Jordon." She looked back at him apologetically. "I'm sorry, my mind just wondered off. What were you saying again?"

"Helen and Primrose have also been quiet. They even said no when I asked them to play with me. They _never_ say no." He said with wide eyes. "Do you think something bad has happened? I was going to ask you, but you can't know, because you've been sleeping for so long." He looked away with a thoughtful expression. "Maybe I should get really tired; I could miss school and play at home all day!"

He grinned, displaying the new gap of a missing tooth. It was very hard for Grace not to melt at the adorableness of her caring brother. He was oblivious, blissfully so. She preferred to have it that way.

"I do not know what could have happened. Perhaps Daddy is just very busy at work again." She reassured him.

"Maybe." He pondered, tapping his chin. "Well, whatever it is, I hope they go back to normal. I've been very bored, and Cousin Jamie won't be here until next week."

"That's not such a long wait. And Sophie will be coming too! Just think how much fun you will both have!"

Jordon scrunched up his face. "I don't like Sophie."

Grace couldn't help laughing at this. "Jordon, are we talking about the same Sophie? I remember you very clearly going on about how amazing she is, and that you were going to marry her someday, and-"

"_Marry her_?! EWW! She's my cousin!"

"That's what we were all telling you." Grace laughed. "But you kept on saying that love made you do crazy things. This was only last year Jordon."

"I do not know what you are talking about." He said pouting, and crossed his arms as he sat in front of her on his knees.

"Deny it all you want, you'll be begging for her attention when she comes next week."

"No I won't. Besides, she's younger than me."

"Age has never been an issue to you before. And it's only two years difference."

"Gracieeee!" He whined smacking his head into the blankets. "Just stoooop it!"

"Okay, okay." She held her hands up in surrender, trying desperately to contain her laughter as she ruffled his short brown hair.

A comfortable silence passed between them while Jordon went back under the blankets to play camping.

Grace was in deep thought. "You'll invite me to the wedding, right?"

"GRACE!"

* * *

"Is this the place?" Bunnymund asked Tooth as they all clambered out of the sleigh.

"Yes." She confirmed with a nod. "Yes, this is it. This is where I saw him last."

"Why would he still be here?" Jack asked as he stopped to stand beside them. They were on a deserted street in the middle of the night. The howling of the wind was the only sound to provide them company.

But not for long.

"Guardians." The word echoed throughout the street. "What a _pleasure_ it is to see you all here."

"Grimm?" North gasped in surprise. "So it is true…"

"Good to see you again, old friend." The voice drawled out. It sounded bored, yet not the uninterested kind; more like he had all the time in the world. Which was true in his case. Well, all of their cases.

"You! Come down here this instant!" Tooth demanded as they all spotted Grimm looking down at them from a rooftop. He was twirling his scythe around in his bony hands, the blade occasionally glinting as it caught the starlight.

To their surprise he obliged. "If you insist…"

He took a slow step forward over the ledge of the roof, and fell. Tooth cried out in surprise as he slammed into the pathway, making Jack and the others wince as they heard cracks echo around them from bones being broken. He lay crumpled on the ground like a limp rag doll, but to Jack's utter surprise and horror, Grimm swiftly stood up and walked towards them, as if nothing had happened.

"The bones weave themselves back together very quickly." He explained when seeing their horrified faces, his voice soft, dreamlike even. "Unfortunately not all of us can have grand ways to travel. Becoming one with the shadows for instance. Or snow globes. Or… wind." He gave Jack a calculating look from the corners of his red eyes, one which made Jack's skin crawl.

He held up his staff defensively. "You have some explaining to do." He said darkly, surprising even Bunny.

"Easy there, Frostbite." Bunny intervened, placing a paw on the Winter Spirit's staff to lower it. "Remember what we said…"

"No, the boy's quite right to want an answer from me." Grimm casually strolled around while he looked into windows, even though their curtains were drawn. "I needed you all together…"

"Why?" North asked suspiciously.

"The question isn't why, but WHAT!?" Tooth practically yelled. "You killed a six year old boy to get our attention?! Are you _trying_ to get all of your teeth knocked out!?"

"I didn't know how else I could contact you. And this, I fear, is a matter of urgency."

"Urgency indeed." Tooth glared daggers as angry tears stained her cheeks. Sandy flew down beside her, and laid a hand on her shoulder compassionately. His touch seemed to have incredible calming effects as Tooth's breathing evened out once more, and her wings calmed their furious beating.

"It has come to my attention, as I was doing my regulations, that one very important soul is missing from the kingdom of the dead." Grimm explained. "One which I simply cannot let go from my collection."

"That's what you call the souls of living people? _A collection_?" Jack said in disgust.

"The point, my dear Winter Spirit, is that I need this soul back. And you can help me."

They all scoffed at this, Sandy even going as far to blow puffs of golden sand from his ears, a habit he developed when frustrated.

"You've got to be joking, mate. No. No, we'll never help you kill someone." Bunnymund motioned them all to return to the sleigh. "We're wasting our time here."

"This soul had already passed on." Grimm explained calmly, his voice still as dreamy as ever. "It should not even be in this world."

"Oh. So you want it back? Why do you need help then?" North asked in his booming Russian accent. "Can you not do job yourself?"

"Which brings us to the problem at hand." Grimm spun around to face them. His gaze was suddenly fixed upon Jack. "Your Winter Spirit here knows this person."

"I do?" Jack raised his eyebrows in surprise, forgetting to even let the disgust he felt towards the Soul Gatherer to drip into his voice.

"Do not get involved Jack Frost." Jack's eyes widened at the sudden hostility in the Grimm reaper's voice. It contrasted to the careless tone he'd had earlier. "You will spare yourself a lot of pain by simply staying put. That is all I have to say."

He spun around to face North. "You will not help me then, old friend? I understand. Keep the young one close, for his own sake… I do not want him to get hurt."

The Grimm Reaper looked at them once more, then turned to leave, humming the tune of 'Ringa Ringa Roses' as he strolled down the shadowed street, leaving the Guardians to stare in confusion at his retreating back.

* * *

_*Sigh* All I've managed to do is thicken the plot and bring up a lot of questions that need some serious answering... Sorry. :/ _  
_Well, this is a longer chapter... I hope you enjoyed reading it :) Just a closer look at Grace's character, and what the Grimm Reaper's intentions are. He doesn't seem very evil, does he? Or is he perhaps... hiding something?_

**WaitingForLifeToBegin:** Thanks you so much :) This makes me really happy. This chapter may be kind of boring, but I hope you wait around to see what else is underway. It's kind of dark actually, but I hope you'll like it :) Thanks so much for reviewing! xx

**RoseGuardian23:** I'm glad you like the way I write this story. I think I like doing it more... idk, poetically? With random stuff like' the mysteries of the universe', which most people are probably really not interested in, but oh well. I hope you get what I mean. Idk how to really explain it :P Oh yeah, we get out answer as to why Grace is a Bennett: Her dad is the brother of Jamie's dad. It's all connected... ;) (though it's probably very unoriginal, as many people have most likely done it before with their own characters :P ) And thanks (again) for reviewing! :D

**Katyuana:** I guess the first chapters are rather short :/ I was kind of bored and wanted to put something up quickly. Is the length of this chapter ok? I usually go around the 1,000 and above word count, but idk what's considered long for you. Let me know :) And you're right. There are no coincidences... :P Thanks for reviewing! ^^


	7. Seeing Isn't Believing

_Woo, next chapter! Enjoy, and as always, REVIEW! I love reviews :)  
_

**CHAPTER 6- SEEING ISN'T BELIEVING**

Jack had left the Guardians back at the Pole to cool off. The encounter with the Grimm Reaper still had him on edge, and his haunting voice still rang in his ears.

He also needed time to figure out what he meant. So, he knew this lost soul, did he? Running through the names of everyone he knew was not difficult; North, Sandy, Tooth, Baby Tooth, Bunny, Pitch, Jamie, Caleb, Cupcake, and all his other first believers. And that was pretty much it.

The list of his acquaintances was miserably short.

The wind carried its favorite child to Burgess, which Jack had requested. It was his most favorite place in the world; the location of where his very first believers lived, as well as the place of his re-birth. Whether North liked it or not, Jack was a nomad.

But if he had to call anything his home, it would be the lake. The sky would act as his roof, the stars would be his nightlights, and the sun would be his hearth. There was nothing to fear here, in the little town of Burgess. Not since Pitch had been driven out.

All was as it should be.

Jack landed on the lake just as the sun began to rise over the horizon. The sun-rays glistened on the smooth ice, and Jack was just considering whether he should visit Jamie (despite it being spring which meant he couldn't stay out in the sun for too long) when a sudden urge came over him.

He wanted to check up on the girl. There would be no harm in doing that right? Just to reassure himself that she was on the road to recovery.

At least, that's what he told himself.

"Wind, take me to Garden City!*****" He yelled out, and immediately felt all his weight being lifted up into the sky by a cool breeze.

* * *

There she was. Walking down the road, holding fiercely onto her mother's hand as if she couldn't bear to let go. A little boy, her little brother, was running ahead excitedly, his yellow rain-boots squeaking.

"Jordan, don't go too far ahead! Grace can't walk so fast." His mother called out to him. He immediately spun around and came bounding back to latch onto his sister's hand.

"Still tired Gracie?" He asked looking up at her with big clueless eyes. Jack smiled at the name he used for her. Gracie sounded a lot more innocent, and somehow younger, than Grace. "You already slept for so long! It's unfair." He pouted.

Grace laughed. Jack felt his heart rate suddenly pick up, as if on instinct. It was the strangest feeling.

He looked around, wondering that perhaps he was being watched. But no one was there; it was just him, Gracie, and her family. _Great. You're calling her Gracie too now._

He had no excuse as to what was affecting his heart. There was only one solution; it was her. And the sound of her melodic laughter.

_Is this like love at first sight_, Jack wondered, _because I definitely feel something. Queasy, in fact._

The moment the thought passed through his mind, Jack scolded himself. He was being ridiculous, and perhaps a little desperate. Desperate for company, someone to hold, someone to cherish, to love...

Ah, he was going there again! _Think of something else Jack, think of… Easter eggs. Yeah. And how you could totally freeze Bunny's warren over. Just after Easter next year. When he's all relaxed, and relieved, and least expects it…_

Grace passed beneath him, as he was carefully balanced on a street light. He couldn't pull his eyes off her, and sighed in frustration, not understanding anything at all. His life certainly had taken a turn, especially with the Grimm Reaper's appearance and strange words.

Suddenly, and unexpectedly, her eyes snapped up, as if reacting to a sound. And she was staring right at him. Not _through_ him. _At_ him.

Her mouth fell slightly open, though she was unaware of this fact. Her eyes grew wide as she noticed that he was miraculously balancing on the unlit light.

Jack could have laughed at her _wonderstruck_ expression. He almost did. But then her eyes captured his. And as something unknown bloomed in his chest, frustration bloomed alongside it also, for not understanding. For being in the unknown.

For being in the dark.

"Grace? Are you okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost." Grace's mother walked back to her daughter as she noticed that Grace had frozen on the spot. "Come on, we need to get home. Your father will be furious if he finds out I let you out of the house in your current condition."

Grace turned to look at her mother with large eyes. "Don't you think that boy should come down? It's kind of dangerous…" She asked softly, as if not wanting Jack to overhear.

"What? What boy?" Her mother asked, baffled, as she looked to where Jack was perched, like a curious bird. Except that this gaze was looking _through_ him this time. "I see no boy."

"But… right there Mom_. Right there_." She pointed at Jack. To her mother it was nothing but the darkening sky with traced of stars above the lamp post. Jack couldn't help but wear his signature smirk as he looked at Grace with a raised eyebrow, as if saying _'good look with that.'_

She simply stared back. Understanding dawned in her eyes surprisingly quickly, and they grew even bigger with wonder, if it were possible.

"I see nothing Grace." Ms. Bennett said, looking at her with concern. "Are you sure you're alright? Perhaps going out was a bad idea-"

"I think I forgot something in the park Mom." Grace said quickly, cutting her off. "My, uh, hat. I'll go back for it."

"Grace…"

"I really appreciate that you let me out of the house Mom, or I would have gotten stir crazy. And I know I should push my luck any further, but I need to get my hat. It was a gift from Cousin Jamie. Please." Grace begged, the words rushing out fast.

With a sigh, her mother turned around, saying "I'll come with you."

"No!" Grace said a little too loudly as she stopped her mother. Taking a deep shuddering breath, she collected herself. "I mean, no thanks. I'll be quick."

Her Mother sighed in defeat, never one to like going against her children's wishes for too long. "Hurry home." She simply said pressing her daughter into a hug. "Oh, and take this Pepper Spray. In case _they_ ever try to pick on you again…"

"I'm fine, Mom." Grace said, though her voice broke, and she was fiery red. "I'll be quick."

Ms. Bennett gave her one last kiss to her forehead, and turned to take Jordan's hand, who was already firing question at her: "Where's Gracie going? Is she still sleepy? Can I go with her?" They trailed on and on.

Finally Grace's mother and brother turned the corner, and Jack turned to find Grace had vanished. He panicked, a reaction he certainly had not expected from himself, and spun around frantically, letting the wind glide him down onto the pavement with his staff.

"I gotta say I would never have believed it had I not seen it with my own eyes." A voice said from behind him.

Yelling out, Jack spun with his staff in front of him. Grace. He unintentionally dropped his staff on the floor in surprise, and it clattered against the concrete.

"You shouldn't scare people like that!" He said, annoyed. Though he was secretly relieved- another unexpected feeling. He mentally face palmed himself.

"I could say the same thing to you. You had me believing you were just a figment of my imagination, and that I had officially lost it." Grace said, picking his staff up and examining it.

"What made you believe otherwise?" Jack asked, watching her every move.

"Instinct, I suppose." Grace said nothing more, holding his staff out to him. He took it, grateful, as his staff was always a reassuring piece of reality to hold onto. "At least, I honestly hope you're Jack Frost, and not some crazy talented rooftop runner or something. Because then this conversation would be extremely embarrassing." She stated bluntly.

"It would be yes," Jack smirked. "But I'm real. As real as the moon." Then it hit him. "Hold it! You can see me." It wasn't a question. "You can actually see me. And you know me. You know my name."

Grace just nodded, and looked at him strangely, as if he was losing his mind. Perhaps he was.

"You shouldn't be able to! Your type don't believe in me!" Jack said in astonishment as he openly stared at her in amazement.

"_My_ type?"

"Teenagers." Jack explained as he began to pace.

"Aren't you a teenager too? Doesn't that make you part of the 'that type' category?" Grace tilted her head to her side as her eyes followed his troubled and anxious pacing. "And besides. Since when does one have to believe to see?"

"That's how it works! Or it should at least…" Jack trailed off as he paused in front of her.

"I guess that explains why my Mom couldn't see you. Though that does not explain how I can see you, as I definitely did not believe in you…at first." For a mortal, Grace was sure handling things well. Surprisingly so.

"You know, you're being really vague. There's something you're hiding from me." Jack pointed his staff at her accusingly with squinted icy blue eyes, almost comically.

"No, I'm not." Grace said with wide chocolate brown eyes looking anywhere but at him. She was a horrible liar.

"Come on. What are you hiding? How can you see me? How are you so convinced that I'm not some nutter wearing no shoes balancing on street lights? How did you even know that I'm Jack Frost?"

Grace sighed and looked at him in the eyes, unsure, scared. Finally she sighed, looking down to play with the hem of her sweater.

"I know, because- because the moon told me."

* * *

_*Garden City is west from Burgess, South Carolina, and close to the sea. And the plot continues! She can hear the moon! WAH! CRAZY! Not really... ;) Thanks for reading xxx -Harley Grace  
_


	8. Believing Is Seeing

_So, it's been a while since my last chapter :/ Sorry. School and stuff. But I hope you will be satisfied with this one. _

_**In this chapter:  
**-we are given the possibility that Jack meeting Grace is not random. That it is in fact planned. Is there more to Grace than we know? (I certainly already know *evil laugh*) _  
_- Stuff happens which neither of them can explain. Can you guess?_

_I only just picked up the movie. Crazy right? I'm super late!_ _I was going to get it for my birthday in JULY and I was all like 'Hell no!' :P Nah, it's just an early B-day gift now.__  
_

_Disclaimer: I do not own RotG _

**_Review replies down below ;)_**

**CHAPTER 7- BELIEVING IS SEEING**

"You can hear the moon." Jack ran a hand through his silvery hair as he let out a breath of astonishment. "And you're not losing your mind about it."

Then again, neither had he when he first heard the reassuring sound of the moon talking to him that day when he rose out of the ice. He just seemed to _know_. The man in the moon was his creator. He couldn't bring himself to question how it was possible. It just was.

"Strangely enough." Grace replied, and it seemed to dawn upon her that anyone hearing any sort of voice in their heard would usually be concerned.

"Since when?" Jack was curious.

"Since today?" She said it as a question, as if she wasn't so sure herself. "I mean, I heard it when I saw you, and my mother couldn't. There was nothing, and suddenly it was just…. there. In my head. Reassuring me."

"What else did it tell you?"

"Okay, this is going to sound really strange, but he told me you were Jack Frost, something about guarding something, or being a protector-"

"Guardian." Jack corrected her.

"Yeah, that, and that I should not fear you." Grace finished as she nervously wrung her hands together; they were starting to get red from the friction.

"That's it?" He asked, his expression displaying his total confusion. It was as if the truth just couldn't get to him.

"That's it." She confirmed with a nod, looking at the pavement. For some reason she could not meet his eyes.

"Well, this is unheard of." Jack muttered as he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Perhaps this has happened before. I'll have to ask the others."

"The… others?" Grace finally looked up, meeting his curious, and strangely innocent, eyes. They were an intense blue as they seemed to look right through her, and into her soul. A saying came to Grace's mind. What was it again? _'The eyes are the windows to the soul.'_

"Yes. There are others." Jack said, suddenly excited at the prospect of introducing her to them. "If you can see me, then you'll most definitely be able to see them!"

"But you said earlier that I could only see if I believed. And I don't even know _what_ to believe in."

"Wait. You didn't believe in me?" Jack asked. He looked hurt. Grace suddenly knew that she'd do anything to never see that pained look cross his face again. She told herself that was ridiculous, she'd just met this person!

Unbeknownst to both of them, they were equally at conflict with their strange, unexplainable feelings. But both pushed it aside, something to analyze some other time. To their irritation, that something would crawl back, and invade their thoughts. It had become increasingly irritating, yet also comforting. As if they'd both seen daylight for the first time in years.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you." She huffed in exasperation in response to his disbelief. Spring rain began to fall around them, and the air was filled with warm scents of wet grass and leaves. Bluebells and Snowbells were already popping their sweet scented petals out of the soft soil.

"But then…" He sighed in sudden annoyance, and threw up his arms, looking at the sky while he did so. "This is all so frustrating! How can you see me then?"

"Well I can't exactly _unsee_ you. I know you're real _now_." Unless the voice of the moon _had_ really just been a voice in her head. And the strange boy in front of her was a hallucination. Perhaps she'd hit her head in the alley worse than she thought.

But the moon had told her this skinny, playful guy was Jack Frost. And she could not argue with that. She just knew. As it she'd known all along.

The moon had given her the gift of hidden knowledge. At least, just a little bit of it. Grace was sure there was more bound to be revealed.

"Well, there's North, and Bunny, Tooth, and Sandy" Jack began ticking them off as he directed them back to their previous conversation, "Is that already everyone?" He mused. "We're a smaller party than I thought."

"North?" Grace tilted her head to the side as she looked at him quizzically. "Who'd that be?"

"Oh, that's right. You'd know him as Santa Clause, or Father Christmas."

"Wow…" Grace didn't know what else to say, or think. It was all so new, so unexpected. Yet it seemed _right_. It made sense. "And Bunny would be the Easter bunny. And Tooth? The tooth fairy?"

"You are correct, my dear." Jack teased playfully. She tried to ignore how his signature grin took a hold of her, and turned her thoughts into mush.

"Sandy would be… the Sandman." Her eyes were wide with wonder. She could barely stand. "I think I just… I need to sit down." But before she knew it she felt her knees buckled out from beneath her.

Steady arms caught her just before she hit the ground.

"Whoa, easy does it." Jack carefully lifted her up. His staff had been dropped on the ground, ignored. "You can deal with the man in the moon talking to you in your mind, but the revelation of the other Guardians being real is too much to handle?" He grinned in amusement, displaying his snow white teeth. His eyes twinkled mischievously as he led her to a nearby bench.

While he placed her down, one of Grace's sleeves had slipped back, revealing faint white jagged lines. Jack frowned, but it was covered in an instant as she lowered her arms from around his neck. She blushed, realizing only then that she had wound her arms around him. She did not see the sudden sadness in Jack's gaze, and did not notice him still staring intently at her covered scarred arms.

She tugged at her sleeves, which were already showing strings of loose thread from previous abuse. "Sorry, I must seem really weak to you." She muttered in embarrassment as she stared at the ground. The rain created little dotted patterns.

"Believe me, I think the absolute opposite." She blushed even more, earning another wide grin from Jack. "It takes some time to accept the fact that I'm not a hallucination. I'm impressed. And honored." He said bowing playfully. "You'd be my first teenage believer."

"I told you already, I never believed in you at first." She sighed, suddenly ashamed by this fact. But Jack, unlike just a few minutes ago, shrugged it off.

"We'll figure it out. Maybe you did believe in me, but just never knew it yourself." His face lit up as an idea came to his mind. "Or maybe you were just really desperate for an imaginary Winder Spirit boyfriend."

"I will ignore what you just said." She said loudly over Jack's laughter, jumping up as she began to stomp off. "Be at ease this conversation will not be mentioned to anybody. Goodbye." She kept her eyes straight ahead as she marched on.

"Aw, come on, I didn't mean that last bit… much." Jack managed to pant through his laughter as he caught up to her, his staff casually swung over his shoulder, his other hand in the pocket of his blue hoody. It was then that she noticed the beautiful frost patterns decorating the rims of the fabric, as well as the parts his skin made contact with his wooden staff. She wondered if there was any other purpose to it other than being an unusual accessory.

"I think it's high time for me to get home." Grace simply continued walking, still not looking at him, which only resulted in him to laugh all the more.

"No, please! I need to show you to the others!" He said in a joking manner as he tried to step in front of her, his hands up in surrender.

"Perhaps another time. When I know this isn't all in my head." She dodged him.

"You're just saying that." She felt his cold grip on her arms as he spun her around. Unwillingly, a shiver ran down her spine, but not from the cold. His face was suddenly serious, all playfulness gone. "You know this is real. _I_ am real." He stressed, his eyes forlorn, showing a sudden weariness. "Please. Don't ever think otherwise."

His eyes bored into hers, staring right into her brown ones flecked with green, and this time she could not even bring herself to be embarrassed.

There was just her, and those intense icy blue eyes. Eyes which she was beginning to hate and love at the same time.

And without warning, her feet left the ground, as she felt herself being lifted up into the starlit sky.

She half shrieked half laughed, in elation and in fright, as Jack Frost laughed with her as they rose higher and higher. All the while, MIM was smiling down at them. His plan was going into effect perfectly. He wanted only happiness for his youngest immortal.

"See?" Grace heard his voice ring through the singing of the wind. "This is too good to be made up in your mind. This, Grace, _this_ is reality."

* * *

_Hmmm. MIM is being sneaky..._

_So, what do you think? **Review, follow, and fav, do whatever makes you feel content** **:)** _

_**Katyuana:** I'm glad you like my OC Grimm Reaper :) We'll see more of him later. Thanks for reviewing ;) They make me happy._

_**RoseGuardian23:** Yes, they've officially met! :D They still need to talk about her connection with Jamie. I think Jack was too distracted to notice her saying her hat was a gift from him in the previous chapter, so we'll see more of that when it's revealed to him. What a pleasant surprise it'll be. Thanks so much for reviewing ;) _

_Thanks so much for reading! **DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT MY RotG SHORT STORY, 'AN UNFORGETTABLE DAY OUT' ;) Contains Human Jack.**_  
_Harley Grace OUT ;)_


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